Container



H. c. REESER CONTAINER I Sept.'18, 1951 Filed Jan. 19, 1949 I5Sheets-Sheet 1 viii INVENTOR 4116?? 6' fiance. M

ATTORNEY H. C. REES ER Sept. 18, 1951 CONTAINER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledJan. 19, 1949 INVENTOR A l/Per 6 64-2 -52,

ATTORNEY Sept. 18, 1951 5 CONTAINER Filed Jan. 19, 1949 r 5 s 6 4 53 M M6 m. m fl A 1/ ,vfl my 5 VG M WEE Zr... fi m" m z 2 3 .6)! 5- w )b0/ .i:"I--. w w w 5/ WW u n My g M? u L i 4 7 a i z m 2 -w-w m fir--- :7 4 H Hn f iii 7 u v 2w M Z M a ELJXEQM ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 18, 1951 s(PATENT OFFICE con-raiser:

Harry G. Beeser, North Hollywood, Calif., aasignor to The Patent andLicensing Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of MassachusettsApplication January 19, 1949, Serial No. 71,571

This invention relates to shipping containers or trays and isparticularly concerned with containers made from a single blank ofcorrugated or solid fiberboard, boxboard, or similar strong, lightweightfoldable sheet material.

Container made from foldable sheet material is essential to insureadequate ventilation. It is, therefore, desirable to employ a shippingcon-,

tainer which does not require a cover and yet which has suflicientstrength to protect the contents and to support compression loading ofsuperposed units when stacked.

It is the object of this invention to provide a coverless shippingcontainer which may be formed from a single sheet of flat, lightweight.

structed that it will support compression loading of superposed units.

According to the invention I provide a coverless shipping containerhaving end wall extensions which are adapted, in theassembled-container, to reinforce the container and impart dimensionalstability thereto and to provide loadbearing surface adapted to supportsuperposed containers in stacked relationship.

Other objects of the invention, including specific features andadvantages, will be apparent from the following description and from theaccompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a set-up container embodying featuresof my invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a flat blank from which the container shown inFig. 1 may be fabricated,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a partly assembled container,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing further details of the end assemblyof my container,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the end of one form of my containeralmost completely assembled.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view approximately along the line 6-8 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of another embodimeat 0! my invention,

4 Claims. (01.229-34) ioldable sheet material and which is so con- 2Fig. 8 isra sectional view along the line t-l of Fig. 7, and,

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a flat blank from which the container shown inFig. '1 may be assembled.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 2, there is shown asubstantially rectangular flat blank, designated generally by thenumeral I0, which has been cut and scored to permit fabrication of acontainer embodying features of the present invention. This blank may beformed from a single flat sheet of corrugated fiberboard, solidfiberboard, boxboard or other similar foldable material which islightweight, yet possesses adequate flexibility and strength for thepurposes of the invention.

As shown in Fig. 2, the blank it) has been scored to define a centralsubstantially rectangular panel I! which serves as the bottom of thecontainer. Side panels l4 extend outwardly from opposite sides of bottompanel I2 and are flexibly joined thereto along score lines It.Similarly, end panels l8 extend outwardly from opposite ends of bottompanel I! along score lines 20. Portions of end panels l8 are cut out todefine hand-holes 22. Portions of side panels l4 may also be cut out toprovide ventilating openings, which in the embodiment illustrated takethe form of vertical slots 24. End flaps 26 extend outwardly fromopposite lateral ends of side panels l4 and are flexiblyjoined theretoalong score lines 28. As will be apparent from Fig. l,

when the blank I0 is assembled the end edges of the end flaps 26 lie inabutting. relationship against the end panels It. The, end flaps 26 areprovided with cut-outs 30 which are so positioned that when the blank isassembled the cut-outs 30 will coincide with hand holes 22 in end panel18.

Flexibly joined along score line 32 to the outer edge of each of the endpanels [8 are triangular extensions 34 and an interposed substantiallytrapezoidal flap 35, separated from the extensions 34 by cuts 38. Flaps36 are provided with cut-outs 40, adapted to coincide with hand holes 22when the blank is assembled as shown in Fig. l. A bracing flap 42extends outwardly from the side of each extension 34 and is flexiblyconnected therewith along score line 44.

It is a feature of the invention that the container may be shipped tothe potential user as a flat blank, thereby requiring a minimum .ofshipping space, and the blank may be quickly and easily assembled whenrequired, either by hand or by suitable machinery.

To assemble the flat blank. the side panels l4 and the and panels II arebent upwardly at right angles to bottom panel l2 along score lines l6and 20, respectively. The end flaps 26 are then bent inwardly on scorelines 26 in overlapping relationship to end panels It. It will beobserved that the edges of the end flaps 26 abut and thus provide thecontainer with ends having a double thickness. Trapezoidal flap 36 isbent inwardly along score line 32 in overlapping relationship to endflaps 26 and secured thereto. as by staples 45, which also servesimultaneously to secure end flaps 26 to end panels It. The flaps 42 arebent inwardly at right angles to triangular extensions 34 and extensions34 are then bent downwardly at right angles to end panels It so thatflaps 42 overlie side panels l4 and may be secured thereto by staples45. Thus. as will be seen from Fig, 1 in the assembled container thetriangular extensions 24 reinforce the container and give it increaseddimensional stability and at the same time provide it with load-bearingsurfaces upon which superposed units may be supported without danger ofinjury to the contents of the container. In Fig. l, the flaps 42 and theend flaps 26 are shown lying against the inner surfaces of side panelsl4 and end panels l8 respectively. If desired, however, theseoverlapping portions may be disposed against the outer surface of thepanels although the former method of assembly has the advantage ofgiving a somewhat neater appearance to the container.

Further, the sequence of steps in assembling the container is, ofcourse, subject to variation. Referring to Fig. 5, for example, thebracing flaps 42 may be secured to the side panels l4 before thetrapezoidal flap 36 is placed in overlapping position.

The dimensions of my container may be varied to a considerable extentdepending upon the use to which the container is to be put. For example,the height may be substantially reduced and the length and widthsubstantially increased. Thus, referring to Fig. 7, there is illustratedan embodiment of my invention eminently suited for the transportation ofrelatively bulky lightweight commodities, such as loaves of bread.

Referring to Fig. 9, the blank from which this form of my container maybe fabricated is designated'generallyby the numeral 50 and is cut andscored as indicated to define a relatively large substantiallyrectangular bottom panel 52 having side panels 54 and end panels 56flexibly connected thereto along score lines 55 and 60. respectively.Side flaps 62 are flexibly joined to the lateral edges of side panels54' along score lines 51. Flexibly joined along score lines 56 to theputer edges of each of the end panels 56 are triangular extensions 6|and an interposed substantially trapezoidal flap 63, separated from theextensions 6| by cuts 64. A flap 66 extends outwardly along score line66 from the side of each extension 6| and is separated from the adjacentside flap 62 by cut 10. While complementary cut-outs to serve ashandholes may-be made in end panels 56 and trapezoidal flaps 53,corresponding to the cut-outs 22 and 46 in the embodiment shown inFig.2, I prefer to form only partial cut-outs as by cuts 12 and I3 inend panels 56 and trapezoidal flaps 6!, respectively. Cuts 12 and 13leave flaps 14 and flexibly connected along score lines 1.6 and 18 toend panels 66 and trapezoidal flaps 63, respectively. When the blank isassembled, these flaps 12 and 14 may be folded inwardly against eachother, as

shown in Fig. 8 and provide an added thickness 4 which makes theopenings more comfortable for the hand of the person ca y n thecontainer. A score line parallel to score line 68 may be provided ontrapezoidal flap 63 to facilitate folding flap 63' upon end panel 56, asshown in Fig. 8.

invention, as defined in the appended claims. and

it is intended, therefore, that all matter contained in the foregoingdescription and in the drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative andnot in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A coverless, load-bearing shipping container comprising asubstantially rectangular bottom portion, side walls and end wallsflexibly connected thereto, end flaps formed at each of said side wallsand adapted to overlie and be secured to said end walls, a trapezoidalflap flexibly connected to said end walls centrally of the upper edgethereof, and adapted to be secured in overlapping relationship to saidend walls, and comer flaps extending from the upper edges of said endwalls adjacent the ends thereof, said corner flaps comprising atriangular portion adapted to err-- tend across the corner of thecontainer and a depending portion adapted to overlie and be se-.- curedto said side walls, whereby to provide loadbearing surfaces adapted tosupport superposed container units in stacked relationship.

2. A coverless, load-bearing shippin container formed from a singleblank of flexible light weight material, said container comprising asubstantially rectangular bottom portion, side walls and end wallsflexibly connected thereto, end flaps formed at each end of said sidewalls and adapted to overlie and be secured to said end wall. atrapezoidal flap flexibly connected to said end walls centrally of theupper edge thereof and adapted to be secured in overlapping relationshipto said end walls. and comer flaps extending from the upper edges ofsaid end walls adjacent the ends thereof, said corner flaps comprising atriangular portion adaptedto extend across the corner of the containerand a depending portion adapted to overlie and be secured to said sidewalls, whereby to provide load-bearing surfaces adapted to supportsuperposed container units in stacked relationship.

3. A coverless, load-bearing shipp container formed from a single blankof flexible lightweight material, said container comprising asubstantially rectangular bottom portion, side walls and end wallsflexibly connected thereto. end flaps formed at each end of said sidewalls and adapted to overlie and be secured to said end walls, atrapezoidal flap flexibly connected to said end walls centrally of theupper edge thereof and adapted to be secured in overlapping relationshipto said end walls, said end walls and said trapezoidal flaps beingprovided with registering hand holes, said end flaps being provided withrecesses in the outer edge thereof adapted to coincide with the saidhand holes when the; end flaps are placed in abutting relationship. andcorner flaps extending from the upper edges-of said end walls adjacentthe ends thereof. said corner flaps comprising a triangular portionadapted to extend across the corner of the container and a dependingportion adapted to overlie and be secured to said side walls, whereby toprovide load-bearing surfaces adapted to support superposed containerunits in stacked relationship.

4. A coverless, load-bearing shipping container formed from a singleblank of flexible lightweight material, said container comprising asubstantially rectangular bottom portion, side walls and end wallsflexibly connected thereto, end flaps formed at each end of said sidewalls and adapted to overlie and be secured to said end walls, atrapezoidal flap flexibly connected to said end walls centrally oftheupper edge thereof and adapted to be secured in overlapping relationshipto said end walls, said end walls and said trapezoidal flaps beingprovided with registering partial cut-outs defining a hand hole and aflap integral with the upper edge of said hand hole, and corner flapsextending fromthe upper edges REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,996,965 Keppler r Apr. 9, 19352,151,472 Hubbard Mar. 21, 1939 2,196,502 Kells Apr. 9, 1940 2,229,425Tanner Jan. 21, 1941 2,468,951 Barter May 3, 1949

